Imako
IMAKO. Imako is a 2004 motion picture directed by Young Maylay. It follows the story of the former child-slave Iqbal Masih. The movie stairs Azharudin Mohammed Ismail, Rubina Ali, Thandie Newton and Azad Mosmail. PLOT: Iqbal Masih is a young boy, born in Muridke, a small and rural village outside of Lahore in Pakistan. It is revealed that Iqbal is abused by his father, Saif, together with his mother and brothers and sisters. Finally Saif abdoned the family. Iqbal's mother, Inayat, is a housecleaner and decides to sell Iqbal to a carpet factory due to her small income. Iqbal is four at that time. However, things become worse after Iqbal is sold to the factory. Craig Kielburger is a 12-year-old boy who is inspired by slave industry and tries to stop the brutality of it. He begins to organize Free The Children to do something and save people who suffer from it and are the victim of slavery. In the meantime, Iqbal is forced to work on a carpet loom after being sold as a slave for 12 American Dollars. Iqbal blames his mother for this. He is forced to work for 12 hours per day. Due to long hours of work and insufficient food and care, Iqbal becomes undersized. Iqbal is also abused at the factory, beaten, which traumatizes his entire life. In the meantime, Kielburger discovers Iqbal's excistence and wants to help him to escape from the brutal slavery. Iqbal also makes some friends and a girlfriend he begins to love. When Iqbal tries to escape with help of Kielburger, he is punished when they capture him again. The whole factory thinks that Iqbal should not get food in the last 72 hours. However, one of the slave-owners, with a high rank, thinks that torture is a better way. The slave-owners have Iqbal brutally tortured on a rack device and forced to watch as his friends are subjected to sexual torture. The next night, Kielburger again tries to help Iqbal escape. Iqbal, however, refuses that help to prevent future torture. When he discovers that his girlfriend, Zalenka, is in a critical and medical shock due to the sexual torture in the cellar. Iqbal pleases the slave-owners to help her. When he however pleases, he is brutally beaten. When he is finally 10-years-old, he escapes the brutal slavery. Iqbal joins the Bonded Labour Liberation Front to stop further slavery. Due to that he is undersized, he is at the age of twelve, the size of a six-year-old boy. He becomes a famous celebrity as he tries to make a stop against the child-slave industry. Iqbal gives conferences and advice about his story. However, he is also threatened by the child-slave industry. During a walk for a conference, he finds a brutally murdered body of a slave. He also get's a video from the industry which shows how his best friends at the industry are brutally decapitated. Iqbal becomes mad. However, due to that he helps at least 3.000 Pakistani children from slavery, he is awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award. On an Easter Sunday in the middle of a busy road, Iqbal is shot by a twelve-gauge shotgun. Iqbal gives up his last words and finally dies. His last words are "This is it.". The police arrives and some locals are accused of the crime, although it is likely that the Carpet-Mafia is involved with the hit. Iqbal is awarded the The World's Children's Prize For The Right Of The Child. The film ends with Iqbal, having died at the hospital, shown leaving with a spirit, Zalenka, in a brash of white light. Reception: The critical views by fans were mixed. Most of the fans liked the film and was given 4 stars by several film industry websites. The half box office budget was given to Craig Kielburger, who devoted his life to Free The Children and was inspired by Iqbal Masih. But there were also negative reviews, some viewers found the film sadistic as much torture is shown in the film and also sexual torture is present. People who knew Masih also said that Iqbal was more insufficient by food and care and long work hours then by torture. Director Young Maylay responded:'' This is a movie about bravery. Iqbal Masih was one of the few children who cared about others. He gave his life to our children.'' Language: In the whole film the Pakistani language Urdu is spoken with subtitles. Maylay originally wanted the film English or Urdi without subtitles. But the idea was mixed. The movie was also completely filmed in Pakistan. MPAA to Imako